Automated Schedule Systems and Methods

Abstract

Automated notification and acceptance/rejection of appointment or opening in a calendar/schedule via network-based systems and methods, including application over social networks and website based connection between users and service providers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for automated notification of calendar openings based on user information derived from use of a communication network comprising:
 a server having a memory and a processor creating a profile in a profile database based on inputs of at least one customer user through a computing device over the communication network;   the server building constraints for the at least one customer user receiving a notification of a calendar opening based on the profile of the at least one customer user;   at least one service provider indicating the notification of the calendar opening through a second computing device over the communication network;   the server receiving the notification of the calendar opening;   the server identifying at least one available user based on the constraints;   the server automatically notifying the at least one available user of the calendar opening over the communication network,   wherein the at least one available user is selected from the at least one customer user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inputs include a lead time required in advance of the calendar opening for the at least one customer user to be notified of the calendar opening. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication network is a social network. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of the server automatically notifying at least one other available user of the calendar opening over the communication network upon not receiving a response from the at least one available user after a period of time or upon receiving a decline response from the at least one available user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one available user has a first level priority and the at least one other available user has a second level priority. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of the at least one available user paying a fee to obtain the first level priority. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of the at least one available user earning the first level priority. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of offering the at least one available user a discount for services associated with the calendar opening, wherein the discount is based on the difference between the time at which the step of automatically notifying the at least one available user of the calendar opening through the social network is performed and the date and/or the time of the calendar opening, wherein the discount is a dynamic discount, wherein the dynamic discount dynamically increases as the time until the calendar opening decreases. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of the at least one available user releasing a notification for exchange through the communication network to at least one other available user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of the at least one available user receiving at least one request from at least one requesting user to transfer the calendar opening to the at least one requesting user. 
     
     
         11 . A system for automated notification of calendar openings based on user information derived from use of a communication network comprising:
 a server having a memory and a processor;   a computing device operable to communicate with the server over the communication network; and   a second computing device operable to communicate with the server and the computing device over the communication network,   wherein the server is operable to create a profile in a profile database based on inputs of at least one customer user through the computing device over the communication network;   wherein the server is operable to build constraints for the at least one customer user for receiving a notification of a calendar opening based on the profile of the at least one customer user;   wherein the second computing device is operable to receive the notification of the calendar opening from at least one service provider through the communication network;   wherein the server is operable to receive the notification of the calendar opening from the second computing device;   wherein the server is operable to identify at least one available user based on the constraints;   wherein the server is operable to automatically notify the at least one available user of the calendar opening over the communication network;   wherein the at least one available user is selected from the at least one customer user.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the inputs include a lead time required in advance of the calendar opening for the at least one customer user to be notified of the calendar opening. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the communication network is a social network. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the server is operable to automatically notify at least one other available user of the calendar opening over the communication network upon not receiving a response from the at least one available user after a period of time or upon receiving a decline response from the at least one available user. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one available user has a first level priority and the at least one other available user has a second level priority. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first level priority is obtained by the at least one available user by paying a fee for the first level priority or the at least one available user earning the first level priority. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the server is further operable to offer the at least one available user a discount for services associated with the calendar opening, wherein the discount is based on the difference between the time at which the server notifies the at least one available user of the calendar opening through the social network and the date and/or the time of the calendar opening. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device is operable to receive a notification for exchange from the at least one available user and is further operable to send the notification for exchange over the communication network to at least one other available user. 
     
     
         19 . A system for automated notification of calendar openings based on user information derived from use of a communication network comprising:
 an electronic schedule system including at least one schedule associated with calendar-based days and times;   the electronic schedule system having at least one server computer in communication with a multiplicity of remote computing devices over the communication network for providing access to an interactive web-based automatic calendar availability notification website and user interface associated therewith;   the electronic schedule system operable for automatically initiating an electronic communication for notification to a predetermined set of users, wherein the notification proactively indicates to those users the opportunity to secure a position within the electronic schedule system, based upon the availability associated with the opportunity.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the communication network is a social network.